Curvilinear pressure pad for improved MICR reading and method

Abstract

A reader and pressure pad apparatus is disclosed for urging documents with various physical characteristics to conform to the shape of the reader, increasing the efficiency of the reader. The reader has a curved convex surface with a centrally located read head gap and the pressure pad, an oppositely curved concave surface, which is biased against the read head in order to improve the contact area between the document and the read area.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A reader, comprising: a path along which a document may be advanced and retracted;   a stationary read head for reading a document disposed along said path; and   a pressure pad for urging a document towards said read head, said pressure pad biased toward said read head and rotatably retractable away from said read head,   wherein said read head has a convex surface which has a first curvature defining a first arc, and wherein said pressure pad has a concave surface which has a second curvature defining a second arc, and wherein the first arc is longer than the second arc of said concave surface of said pressure pad.   
     
     
       2. The reader of claim 1, further comprising: a holder for mounting said pressure pad, wherein said first curvature and said second curvature are substantially equal and wherein substantially all of said concave surface contacts said convex surface when said holder biases said pressure pad towards said read head.   
     
     
       3. The reader of claim 2, wherein said read head has an apex medially located along said first curvature and defining a gap located at said apex. 
     
     
       4. The reader of claim 3, further comprising a magnet disposed along said path, wherein said document is a check upon which information has been printed with ferromagnetic indicia and wherein said reader reads information printed in ferromagnetic indicia. 
     
     
       5. The reader of claim 3, wherein said reader is an optical reader. 
     
     
       6. The reader of claim 2, wherein said pressure pad further comprises a first convex surface and second convex surface adjacent said concave surface, said first convex surface opposite said concave surface from said second convex surface. 
     
     
       7. A reader, comprising: a read head;   an opposing pressure pad, wherein a path is between the read head and the opposing pressure pad;   a pivot axis perpendicular to said paper path; and   a holder rotatably mounted about said pivot axis, said pressure pad mounted to said holder such that said paper path is blocked as said holder rotates said pressure pad towards said read head, said paper path is opened when said holder rotates said pressure pad away from said read head, and wherein said holder is biased toward said read head,   wherein said read head has a first convex surface having a curvature defining a first arc, said pressure pad has a concave surface having a second curvature defining a second arc, said pressure pad has a second convex surface and a third convex surface adjacent said concave surface, said second convex surface opposite said concave surface from said third convex surface, said second convex surface of said pressure pad having a third curvature defining a third arc, and said third convex surface of said pressure pad having a fourth curvature defining a fourth arc, and   wherein said concave surface contacts said first convex surface when said holder biases said pressure pad towards said read head.   
     
     
       8. The reader of claim 7, wherein said paper path is opened as a document is inserted between said first convex surface of read head and said concave surface of said pressure pad. 
     
     
       9. The reader of claim 8, wherein said first curvature of said first convex surface and said second curvature of said concave surface are substantially equal, such that as said holder biases said pressure pad towards said read head, substantially all of said concave surface contacts said first convex surface. 
     
     
       10. The reader of claim 9, further comprising a magnet disposed along said paper path and wherein said document is a check upon which information is printed with ferromagnetic indicia. 
     
     
       11. The reader of claim 10, wherein said pivot axis is disposed along said paper path between said pressure pad and said magnet. 
     
     
       12. The reader of claim 7, wherein the third curvature of said second convex surface has a shorter radius than the fourth curvature of said third convex surface. 
     
     
       13. A reader, comprising: a path along which a document is advanced and retracted;   a stationary read head disposed along said path, said read head having an arcuate convex surface having a first radius; and   a pressure pad having an arcuate concave surface having a second radius,   wherein said first radius of said arcuate convex surface and said second radius of said arcuate concave surface are substantially equal,   wherein said pressure pad is biased toward said read head for urging a document to conform to said arcuate convex surface as said document is advanced and retracted past said read head, and   wherein said concave surface contacts said arcuate convex surface when said holder biases said pressure pad towards said read head.   
     
     
       14. The reader of claim 13, wherein said pressure pad separates from said read head by a rotational motion, wherein said rotational motion has an axis of rotation located adjacent to said path. 
     
     
       15. The reader of claim 14, further comprising a magnet disposed along said path and wherein said document contains information printed thereupon in ferromagnetic indicia. 
     
     
       16. A method of reading information on a document, comprising the steps of: inserting a document having a thickness and containing printed information into a reader having a read head, a pressure pad, and a holder, said read head having a first convex surface, said pressure pad having a second convex surface capable of contacting said convex surface of said read head, a first concave surface, and a third convex surface, said pressure pad mounted in said holder, said holder biased toward said read head;   guiding said document between said second convex surface of said pressure pad and said read head to move said pressure pad away from said read head;   advancing said document between said first concave surface of said pressure pad and said read head, said holder and said pressure pad urging said document to conform to the shape of said first convex surface of said read head, to allow information printed on said document to be read by said read head; and   further advancing said document between said third convex surface of said pressure pad and said read head.   
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of retracting said document between said pressure pad and said read head, and removing said document from said second convex surface of said pressure pad and said read head. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of providing a magnet having a face and wherein information is printed on said document is printed with ferromagnetic indicia; advancing said document across the face of said magnet to magnetize said ferromagnetic indicia; and   reading said magnetized document by said read head.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein said document is a check and said magnet is located such that said check will pass between said read head and said pressure pad before said check is advanced across the face of said magnet; further comprising the step of: retracting said check after said check has advanced across the face of said magnet.